The nine nuclear-armed states possess between them more than 12,200 nuclear warheads

Posted: 28th August 2026

The nine nuclear-armed states possess between them more than 12,200 nuclear warheads, with a combined destructive capacity of more than 145,000 Hiroshima bombs.

The outlook for nuclear arms control is desolate in all three of its dimensions – risk reduction, non-proliferation and outright elimination.
The important agreements of the past are dead or on life support. And the recent behaviour of the actors that matter most – the United States, Russia and China – has fed concerns things can only get worse. The nine nuclear-armed states possess between them more than 12,200 nuclear warheads, with a combined destructive capacity of more than 145,000 Hiroshima bombs. Some 9,000 of these are militarily active or deployed.
Alarmingly, some 2,000 US and Russian weapons remain on dangerously high alert, ready to be launched within a decision window for each president, if their country is perceived – rightly or wrongly – to be under nuclear attack, of just four to eight minutes.

The Conversation 27th Aug 2026

https://theconversation.com/the-threat-of-nuclear-weapons-is-greater-than-ever-heres-how-international-law-can-help-290523